Plumber Behind the Hero
by EchoEternal
Summary: One-Shot. Though he's the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom now, things weren't always so easy for Mario back home. Peach listens as Mario tells her about his rough start before discovering her kingdom.


This is my take on a Super Mario origin story!

My friend, Emiko Gale, requested an origin story for Mario that portrayed him as outcast from society in the normal word, but better off in the Mushroom world. So, I strung up this one-shot for that and built it up from there!

It merges the game canon with cartoon canon, such as Mario originating from New York, though there's definitely game canon hints for Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Wrecking Crew, and Super Mario Bros., because that's the beginning of the series.

Anyway, the story is told between present day with Mario and Peach, with flashbacks to fill in the parts that they describe of Mario's past. Enjoy!

...

* * *

Jumping down from a grassy ledge in the late afternoon, Mario carried Princess Peach back over to her castle entrance. Several Toads clapped and cheered as they approached, shouting Mario's name in delight and gratitude. The plumber set Peach down gently and she smiled at him as he took off his cap.

"Mario, thank you so much for saving me once again." Peach kissed his cheek, much to the delight of the citizens around her. Mario blushed and put his cap back on.

"Yay for Mario!"

"You're the best!"

"Party for our hero!"

"Now, now, let's give him a minute." Peach clapped her hands for the Toads to quiet down. "Mario has been through a long journey. Give him a minute to sit down and relax a little bit."

"Aw, but he deserves a whole party, Peach!"

"Yeah, a hero's banquet!"

Lightly, Peach sighed. "Well, if you feel the need, you make bake Mario a cake while I talk with him for a little while."

"Yeah! Let's do it!"

Cheerfully, the Toads rushed into the castle and chattered to the others, clamoring over Peach's return and another celebration for Mario. Smiling, Peach took Mario's hand and led him through her red and pink colored castle, passing by paintings of herself, him, the Toads, and the lands of the kingdom.

The two made their way together upstairs and to the balcony outside of Peach's bedroom. Taking two white chairs and unfolding them, Peach and Mario sat down near the railing, watching the sunset.

"It's beautiful to be able to watch this again." Peach smiled and stared at the orange, blue, and purple-coated skyline, with just a few yellow and gray clouds rolling through the sky. "Being inside of a dungeon for so long, I forget what it looks like."

"Right, I can imagine."

Mario nodded and sighed. Peach watched him, noting that his smile dropped as he rested his head on his arms, folded and spread out over the railing.

"Is everything ok, Mario?"

"Hm? Yes, I'm fine." He sighed. "It's just…nice to be here."

"As opposed to…?"

"Where I originally came from."

Raising her eyebrows and tilting her head, Peach quizzically stared at Mario. "Weren't you…originally from here?"

"Oh, well, yes. I was born here." He chuckled. "Yoshi is always excited to remind Luigi and I of that."

"Of course; the Yoshi take pride in having rescued and raised you and your brother, however briefly it lasted."

"I wish it was for longer." Mario buried his head again. "Or that my parents had decided to stay here, rather than leaving the kingdom to find a better place for Luigi and I."

"Wasn't it better, though?" Peach scratched her head. "You never had to worry about the terrible monsters that plague this land, or drive yourself mad with worry over rescuing the Toads and I. Wasn't that…" Peach sighed and pressed her palm against her head. "…Easier?"

"Not really." Mario picked himself back up. "I eventually grew up in a place called Brooklyn, in New York—"

"Of the States United, right?"

"United States, yes." Mario laughed as Peach brushed her hair.

"Brooklyn in New York of the United States," Peach corrected herself. "I'll get it right next time. It's just…you've been here so long, that I just…always picture you from here these days."

"Well, you're right when we talk about where I was born." Again, Mario chuckled and shook his head. "But that's technically where I was raised and spent some of my adult life."

"What was it like? Your adulthood?" Peach pried. "Would you be willing to share that with me?"

"Oh…I suppose." Mario scratched his chin. "It's not a very eventful story; you already know up to…"

"The part where you saved Pauline from the eldest Donkey Kong, right?"

"Oh, right. That cranky ape." Mario nodded. "Well, after that…"

* * *

 _Hurrying up the wooden steps and through the dinky hall, Mario strolled to his room and forced the moldy door to his apartment open. On his torn burgundy couch was a woman in a short red dress, huddled with her legs folded under her. Twirling her long, dark brown hair around a finger, she failed to notice Mario even after he turned and pushed the door closed._

 _"Pauline?" Mario slowly approached her. "It's-a me. I'm back."_

 _"Oh. Mario." Pauline shook her head and closed her vacant eyes shut. Opening them again, she refocused on Mario and gave him a small smile. "Welcome back home."_

 _"Thanks." He stared across the room, to a television that was muted to a static covered screen, and a window not too far from it. "Have you…been sitting here since I left?"_

 _"Not the whole time, but…" She gazed out at the fire escape that was outside of the apartment window._

 _"…What is it?" He watched as Pauline's eyes lowered. "Pauline?"_

 _"Hmm? Yes?"_

 _"You were…ah, don't worry about it." He sighed. "I've gotten a new job recently."_

 _"New?" She blinked and returned her attention to him. "What happened to your construction work, with Foreman Spike?"_

 _"He fired Luigi and I last week, remember?" Mario grumbled and pounded a fist into his open hand. "Spike was just jealous that we were doing better at the work than he was himself."_

 _"Oh, right." Pauline folded her arms and hugged herself lightly. "What did you get then?"_

 _"A new plumbing gig," Mario announced. "Luigi and I are back in the sewer business again!"_

 _"Plumbing? Again?" She let her hair drop from her finger. "Why go back? Weren't there infestations in the sewers last time?"_

 _"There was definitely something up down there," admitted Mario. "But I talked it over with Luigi and he eventually agreed to getting jobs back working there."_

 _"I see. And…no new carpentry jobs?"_

 _"Honestly, I think I'm done with that line of work, Pauline." He sighed. "The teams there, they just…don't respect me."_

 _"Or like you." He stared at her as she pulled on her hair. "Sorry, I didn't mean to come off bluntly—"_

 _"No, you're right." Mario tugged on his cap and pulled his mustache. "They haven't liked me almost anywhere I go. And Luigi doesn't get any better treatment."_

 _"That's a shame." Pauline frowned and brushed her hair back. "Though, you were good at that line of work."_

 _"Carpentry? Yeah, before Donkey Kong—"_

 _"DON'T!"_

 _Pauline shouted and launched up from the couch, nearly losing her balance, but with widened eyes that darkly glared at Mario. He took a step back as she pulled on her hair and took in a deep breath. After holding it for a few seconds, she released it and brushed strands of her hair from her face._

 _"Mario, I can't…I mean, I didn't mean to yell, but I…"_

 _"It's fine, Pauline." He frowned at her, as his heart slowed. "Maybe…we need to take a break for a little while."_

 _"Yes, maybe we should…" She froze and shook her head. "Wait, you mean…a 'break-up' break?"_

 _"Uh…yeah."_

 _"Why though?"_

 _"Look, I don't know how to put this, but…" He took a deep breath. "Pauline, it's been almost a year since…the incident." She shuddered. "You're not getting any better, dear. And I thought I could help make you feel safe, better, but…I think I've been doing more harm than good for you."_

 _Though tears were in her eyes, she couldn't speak. He wiped away a few tears that streamed down his cheeks, unable to continue for a moment._

 _"You've been the highlight of my life, Pauline." Mario breathed out. "But I want you to get better. And if I can't help you…someone else has to." He pinched between his brows. "I'm just a toxic reminder of what happened."_

 _"But…" She coughed and shook her head. "You…you're right." She hugged herself again and sobbed, but cleared her throat and recomposed. "Sh…should I get my things?"_

 _"Wait, you don't have to leave this minute…we could—"_

 _"No, you're really right, Mario." Pauline grimaced. "I really need to get better again. My friends can help me call a doctor and we can go from there."_

 _"…Right. The sooner the better."_

 _"I…yes, that's it." She strapped on her black pumps. "Well, better get started."_

 _He nodded and silently helped her gather her belongings._

* * *

Peach sniffled and wiped her face as Mario paused.

"Goodness, Mario." The princess waved her hand in front of her face, presumably to hold back tears from her makeup. "That's such a sad story. I had no idea that Pauline had so much trouble getting past her traumatic kidnapping and the Donkey Kong incident altogether."

"Yeah." He nodded and gazed at the sky for a moment. He turned back to Peach and smiled. "She's a lot better nowadays, huh?"

"Much. I'm glad she's here now, and that you two could still be friends."

"Me too." Mario adjusted his cap, tilting it a little over his eyes. "She's about the only one that Luigi and I kept from home before we came here."

"Wait, she's the only friend from Brooklyn that you two made?" Peach shook her head. "What about the others that have visited us here? Those golfers and tennis players, none of them—?"

"All after Luigi and I already relocated here."

"Gracious. I never realized that."

"Yep." Mario drummed his hands on the railing, watching the fading sunset. "So, would you like me to continue? It doesn't really get happy until Luigi and I come here."

"If you're ok with it, please continue," insisted Peach. "I would always like to know more about you, Mario."

He smiled and nodded. "As you wish, princess."

* * *

 _Two days after Pauline left, Mario reported for his plumbing work. He went through the halls as other plumbers eyed him as they continued to speak with one another, doing their best to steer clear of the red-capped plumber._

 _"Do you see his big blue eyes?" Mario gritted his teeth as he overheard the comment._

 _"Yeah, they're seriously unnatural," muttered another._

 _"What's with the mustache all on its own? Gross."_

 _"You want gross? Just look at that gut. Defining stereotypes for sure."_

 _"Hush, I think he looked your way!" The last one hissed as Mario reached for his boss's office door._

 _Rushing in and quickly shutting the door behind himself, Mario turned and stared into the office. A coat and cap were tossed onto the hanger near the door, and a nearly dead plant was further in near the secretary's desk. By the one in the back sat an older man with slicked back grayish, almost white, hair and a matching handlebar mustache. He toyed with a long wrench between his white gloves, failing to notice that Mario had even entered._

 _"Um…excuse me? Salvador?"_

 _"Hmm?" The orange overall clad man dropped the wrench on his desk. "W-Who is it?"_

 _"It's Mario, sir."_

 _"Who?"_

 _"Me, Mario." The plumber stepped forward. "You called me in?"_

 _"…Oh, right, yes!" Salvador cleared his throat and straightened the bowtie over his shirt. "Just 'Sal' is fine. Anyway, we got a sewer job for you to work on. Beneath that old set of shops, the flower and herb store and that pet place with the turtles on the sign. The neighborhood complained about pipes getting clogged too easily and what not, and then someone found some overflow from the sewerage below."_

 _"Got it. Should I take my brother with me?"_

 _"You have a brother?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"And he works for us too?"_

 _"…Yes."_

 _"Oh. Well then, yes, he can help you out as well." Sal tugged on his mustache and nodded. "Ok, that'll be all, Marion."_

 _"Mario."_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"There's no 'n' at the end, sir."_

 _"Ah, right. Either way, hop to it, boy."_

 _With a sigh, Mario nodded and strolled from the office. He shuffled past other plumbers in the halls, who backed away as he strolled through, all parties careful on making any kind of contact with Mario._

 _Later, Mario took the company van over to the streets with the abandoned shops. A few citizens were standing outside and impatiently waiting. Luigi stared out of the passenger window and sank down into his seat._

 _"I don't know about this Mario," murmured Luigi. "They look awfully…scary."_

 _"They're people, Luigi. Grumpy, sure, but that's because they're having water issues."_

 _"Where's the part that I'm not supposed to be horrified of them."_

 _"Then consider yourself lucky that you're a plumber like me." Mario shook his head and jabbed a thumb at the abandoned stores. "Imagine if you were an electrician or a construction worker still, and they assigned you to a run down building. You'd be terrible in a haunted house, or at a shop like one of those."_

 _"Why would you even bring that up?!" Luigi groaned at the thought. "There's nothing in the universe that would make me go to such a creepy place. The sewers are bad enough as it is."_

 _"Come on, Luigi. We'll be heroes to these people once we fix everything." Mario unlocked the van's doors. "Let's-a go!"_

 _With a heavy sigh, Luigi opened his door alongside Mario. "Okey-dokey."_

 _The brothers hopped from their van and moved about to gather their supplies, as the group of impatient New Yorkers glared at them._

 _"It's about time they showed up!"_

 _"The mayor said they'd be on this over an hour ago!"_

 _"Plumbers are the slowest and most inept workers, honestly."_

 _Luigi shot Mario an aggravated expression. "Heroes, huh?"_

 _"Well…maybe that was a little too strong of a term."_

 _Gathering their supplies, the brothers made their way to the nearby manhole cover. Moving it aside, Mario rolled his shoulders and glanced one last time at the people surrounding them. Still annoyed, still complaining, and clearly not endeared by the brothers' appearance to help them. Luigi held up a flashlight as Mario turned back to the sewer and climbed down._

* * *

Peach coughed and brushed her eyes, as Mario turned back from the early night sky. He raised an eyebrow as she shook her head.

"Mario, I don't understand. How could the people not appreciate the work that you were doing for them?"

"Princess, not everyone is…some people just have little patience, for anything that interrupts or inconveniences their lives." Mario shrugged. "It's just something a lot of people end up feeling. It's human."

With a sigh, Peach folded her arms. "Maybe, but still."

Nodding, Mario sighed as well, gazing back out to the risen moon and faint stars. "Well, we helped clear up the overflow and sewer backups. After that…well, Luigi was ready to leave, but I thought I saw something that caught my eye. And then I fell into the water, and went through a bright green pipe." He laughed. "I think Luigi screamed at me the whole time and tried to grab my hand before I slipped down the Warp Pipe. He must have lost his balance and fell through after me."

"That would make sense."

"Yep." Mario smiled. "And you know the rest of the story from there."

"Right, except after the adventure and your help, I wasn't so ungrateful."

* * *

 _A day after saving Princess Toadstool from King Koopa, Mario and Luigi were invited back to Peach's Castle. They gazed around in awe as the Toads murmured to one another, watching the brothers as they walked in._

 _"M-Mario, we should really figure out h-how to get out of this place…" Luigi shivered as they entered the throne room._

 _"Nonsense, Luigi. This is just like at work and home. People even whisper about us and everything." Mario glanced around as they stepped forward. "Just a little…fancier."_

 _"Little?!"_

 _They quickly clamped their mouths shut and bowed as they approached the princess in the puffy pink dress. She stood up and gazed down at the two, smiling._

 _"Thank you both once again for rescuing me." Peach curtseyed to the two. "Now, it's Mario and…?"_

 _They waited a moment as Luigi raised his eyebrows. "Uh-um…it's L-Lu-Luigi, miss, ah, princess, madam."_

 _"L-Lu-Luigi?" Peach nodded. "I'll have to remember that."_

 _"Actually," Mario piped in, "it's just Luigi, your highness."_

 _"Oh, Luigi alone." Peach giggled. "That's easier."_

 _Nervously, Luigi chuckled and nodded. Mario rolled his eyes and returned his attention to Peach. "Anyway, it was our pleasure to help you, Princess Toadstool."_

 _"Peach, please."_

 _"Uh…I don't have any on me."_

 _"Oh, no, that's my name," Peach laughed. "My name is Peach, like the fruit."_

 _"Ah, ok, Peach." Mario smiled and nodded. "It's nice to be more acquainted with you, your highness."_

 _"Of course!" Peach grinned. "I simply must get to know the heroes of this kingdom better!" She clasped her hands together. "From which region do you hail?"_

 _"…Pardon?"_

 _"Where are you two from?"_

 _"Oh. Um…Brooklyn."_

 _"…Brook…Lyn?"_

 _"Yeah, from New York. The United States of America…never heard of it?"_

 _"I'm afraid not, no."_

 _"Well, ah…we'd show you, but my brother and I haven't been able to find our way back."_

 _"That's unfortunate. I'd love to travel." Peach brushed at her hair a little, staring into Mario's deep blue eyes. "What is it that you two do? Some sort of knightly practices, I'm sure."_

 _"Um…no, not really." Mario shrugged. "We're just plumbers."_

 _"Plumbers?"_

 _"Yeah, we fix pipes."_

 _"Oh, wonderful!" Peach hopped a bit. "You two have done excellent work on the Warp Pipes across the kingdom!"_

 _"Those? Uh…we didn't work on those."_

 _"No?"_

 _"No, that's…we just work on regular pipes. Like, for bathrooms. You know, toilet pipes, shower drains, sinks, that kind of plumbing."_

 _"I see." Peach nodded. "We must not have many of those within the kingdom."_

 _"So I'm learning." Mario chuckled. "Well, if you're ever in need of us—"_

 _"Absolutely!" Peach stepped down from her throne, though still held some height on both Mario and Luigi. "Plumbers are the most noble and powerful workers I have ever met! You two simply must stay around the kingdom, please."_

 _"Princess, I'm not sure…we don't exactly know much about this place."_

 _"It does feel familiar, though," realized Luigi, to which Mario nodded._

 _"Perhaps it's not so different from your home?"_

 _"No, it's very different," clarified Luigi. "It just…something about this place…"_

 _"You wouldn't happen to know how to get back to Brooklyn?"_

 _"Like I said, I've never even heard of this Lyn's Brook."_

 _"Huh?"_

 _"Sorry. I mean, I have no idea how to get you home." Peach bowed her head and looked back to the Mario brothers. "You two are more than welcome to stay within our kingdom though."_

 _"…Well, Luigi?"_

 _"Your call, Mario." Luigi shrugged. "If we can't go home, and we're welcome here…why not?"_

 _"My thoughts exactly." Mario smiled and gazed into Peach's bright blue eyes. "Ok, princess, if you'll have us, then we'd be honored to stay."_

 _"Wonderful!" Peach clapped her hands again. "I'll have the Toads show you around and we'll have brunch together."_

 _"Brunch?"_

 _"The meal between breakfast and lunch." Peach scratched the side of her head. "Do you not have that from where you came from?"_

 _"No, we've heard of it…we just stuck with the three meal times."_

 _"Just three? That simply won't do!"_

 _Peach continued to rave excitedly about the many meals that she wanted to introduce the brothers to, while Mario and Luigi nervously smiled to one another._

* * *

"And the rest is history, of course."

"Hey," Mario whistled and adjusted his cap. "You remembered all of that?"

"Certainly!" Peach smiled. "Mario, your arrival to the Mushroom Kingdom was perhaps the greatest event that my kingdom has ever known." She sighed and stared at the plumber. "I'm eternally grateful to have you here, as are my people. Countless times, you've saved us, and we're truly in your debt."

"Aw, it's fine princess." Mario laughed. "Really, just being here is payment enough most days."

"Don't be so humble." Peach rested her hand on his shoulder. "You're a great plumber, and an even greater hero. They may have left you out back home, but here, you'll always be well respected for everything that you do."

A knock came from behind them and they turned to see a Toad bouncing up and down. "Princess! Mario! The cake is ready!"

"Excellent! We'll be right there!" The Toad nodded and scurried away as Peach glanced back to the starry sky. "Well…we'll need to do better than mere cakes, but it's a small token of our great appreciation."

"Honestly, Peach, that's all I need."

Mario reached over and softly held Peach's hand, to which she smiled. The two gazed out at the dark blue, star filled night sky, getting lost in it for a moment. Laughing and nodding to one another, they made their way back inside and through Peach's room, back downstairs.

* * *

...

And there it is!

It was actually a lot of fun to finally finish this! I've had the document for it open for more than a week now, adding in bit after bit when I had the chance.

But wow, rough start for Mario. Kind of sad that he wasn't so well beloved by the people that he not only helped, but also those he worked for and with. It's a shame when people are cruel to you behind your back or to your face, really. Then again, it's definitely real; we just all need to find our Mushroom Kingdoms to travel to and the kinder, more understanding Toads of that community. Maybe even a Princess Peach, who will hear out the whole story!

And poor Pauline too; I think I did her far more justice by portraying her in this manner, so that people wouldn't hate her for being Mario's first girlfriend. It's nicer this way, I think. (And she eventually gets over her traumatic experience to some degree by the Mario VS Donkey Kong games, so bonus points for eventual happiness!)

Oh, and it was nice to pepper in some Mario x Peach fluff here and there. I've been so wrapped up in my other stories where they're gay that I haven't had the chance to dabble with their lovely canon relationship. They're really cute together, when you think about it! (And sometimes, I feel like they're shafted simply because they're the canon pair, which shouldn't be the case; there's a good relationship there.)

Anyway, that's all. Hope you liked the story, Emiko Gale! Oh, and I hope that helps get your creative stream flowing again too!

And I hope anyone else that reads the story enjoyed it too! Please let me know, if you'd like, comments and criticisms welcomed. Thank you for reading!


End file.
